Awning shutter



Dec. 17, 1940.

L. M. JONES AWNING SHUTTER Filed April 14, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 17 1940.

L. M. JONES AWNING SHUTTER Filed April 14, 19258 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L M. JONES AWNING SHUTTER Filed April 14, 19158 Dec. 17, 1940,

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sum/MW w w M Patented Dec. 1 7, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AWNING SHUTTER Lloyd M. Jones, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. I Application April 14, 1938, Serial No. 202,044

3 Claims.

This invention relates to what is commonly termed awning shutters and its object is to provide certain improvements in devices of that kind which render the same more serviceable, more 8 easily manipulated, and more effective than prior devices. In general, my invention includes an awning shutter made up of a plurality of sections hinged together and pivotallysupported at its upper end adjacent the upperend of a window or other opening, and which can be easily and quickly swung inwardly to close or cover and protect the window or permit it to automatically swing outwardly in position to form an awning for the window, in which latter position the parts are arranged to aiford the maximum amount of light and ventilation. The invention also includes certain detailed improvements for manipulating the slats or louvers in the shutter so as to regulate the amount of sunlight and air through the window. The foregoing and other improvements in my construction will be readily understood from the accompanying drawings taken in connection with the following specification, and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a front outside view of an awning shutter involving my invention, the shutter .bein in closed position and a part thereof being shown cut away;

Figure 2 is a transverse section substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side view of the shutter swung outwardly into open position; 1

Figure 5 is a detailed section on an enlarged scale showing a form of joint used between the main portion of the shutter and the lower sections hinged thereto;

Figure 6 is an enlarged edge view, partly in section, showing the hinge between the two lower hinged sections of the shutter;

Figure 6a is a section showing an alternative arrangement of hinge connection between the lower sections of the shutter;

Figure? is an enlarged detailed view, partly in section, showing the means for pivotally connecting the lower end of the lower section of the shutter to the thrust arm which cooperates therewithi and Figure 8 is an enlarged detailed view showing the means employed for operating the slats or louvers on the shutter.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my invention is shown in combination with a window of a building, such as a house or other structure indicated at A, and which will hereafter be referred to by the general term building. My awning shutter preferably comprises an upper or main section II), an intermediate section I I, anda lower section 12. The section II] is hinged at its upper end to the building A andis adapted to swing inwardly against the building or outwardly into the position shown by Figure 4 of the drawings. The intermediate section II is hingedly connected at its upper edge to the lower edge of the main section III and is adapted to hang or depend from the section ill in the form of a valance. The section II may therefore be termed a valance section. The lower section I2 is hingedly connected to the lower edge of the valance section II. The improved shutter is preferably made of a metal having sufficient thickness to produce the desired strength and lightness necessary in such a device.

The upper or main section l0 includes two longitudinally spaced side bars or members l3, a transverse upper member l4, and a transverse lower member i5. These members are rigidly secured together in any suitable manner, as by welding or riveting to form the main framework of the upper section I0. Within this main framework I preferably secure a louver construction made up of a plurality of pivoted slats or louvers, as later described, although if desired, such louvers may be dispensed with and the upper section o the shutter may be formed of one or more plane sheets of metal rigidly secured to the side membersof the shutter.

One feature of my improved construction relates to the means employed for pivotally supporting the awning shutter at the upper end thereof. For that purpose a plate or bar I6 is rigidly secured to the building A adjacent to the upper end of the window or other opening to be covered by the shutter. The plate 16 extends transversely of and entirely across the opening, and its upper portion [6a is securely fastened by suitable means such as bolts or screws I! to the window. frame or other part of the building. The plate I6 is preferably bent into the shape shown in the drawings to form' a hook-shaped member; in other words, the plate is bent outwardly and then downwardly and then inwardly and then-upwardly so that the'lowe'r edge lBb thereof lies below and to the rear of the main body of the plate It. Preferably, the plate I6 is bent angularly rather than in a curved form since the angle arrangement is more easily pro duced and is found to afford a more satisfactory form of construction.

The upper edge I la. of the transverse member I4 is so bent as to cooperate with or hook into the bent portion of the plate I6. In other words, the upper portion of the member I4 is bent outwardly and downwardly and then inwardly to correspond with the bent portions of the plate IS. The lower edge Nb of the plate I4 is bent outwardly to some extent for a purpose later described.

The arrangement of the angularly bent plate I6 and angularly bent member I4 provides an efiective hinge support for the awning shutter. Such a hinge support produces a water-tight joint and at the same time affords simple means by which'the shutter can be detached from the building, since to remove the shutter it is only necessary tomove the same laterally or transverseIy' of the opening so that the hook-shaped portion -of the member I4 will slide out of the hook-shaped portion of the plate I6. By the reverse operation the shutter can easily be put back into position in front of the window or other opening.

The side members I3 of the shutter are each preferably formed with a rearwardly extending flange I3a which is adapted to rest against the building and form a tight joint therewith. Each of the members I3 is also preferably formed with a laterally extending flange I3b which is pref-' erably bent outwardly at the edge thereof to produce a shallow drain or trough, as later described.

The lower transverse member I5 of the section II) has the upper portion thereof bent outwardlly as shown at I5a, for a purpose later explained, and the lower edge I5b thereof is bent inwardly and upwardly and outwardly to form a hook-shaped portion for hingedly receiving and supporting the valance section Ii of the shutter.

The upper edge of the valance section II, as indicated at Ma, is bent outwardly and downwardly and inwardly to form a hook-shaped portion which is adapted to engage and cooperate with the hook-shaped lower edge I5b of the member I5. By this means, the section II is hinged to the member I5 so as to swing relative thereto and form a water-tight joint therewith. It should be noted, however, that the extent to which the valance section II can swing inwardly relative to the upper section I0 is limited. In other words, the hinge connection between these sections will permit the section II to swing inwardly to the substantially vertical position shown in Figure 4 or outwardly to a position substantially in the same plane as the section I 0.

The lower section I2 is connected at its upper edge to the lower edge of the valance section II by hinges indicated at II b. These hinges each comprise a hinge plate I Ic secured to the section II adjacent its lower edges and extending downwardly and inwardly thereof, and a similar hinge plate I2a secured to the upper edge of the lower section I2 and extending upwardly and inwardly thereof. The inner portions of the hinge plates II c and I2a are bent into cylindrical shape and cut away so as to fit together to form a hinge, a pin or wire IId forming the pintle or such hinge.

The lower section I2 along its upper edge is bent outwardly and downwardly to form a flange I22) and the lower edge of the intermediate section II is also bent outwardly and downwardly to form a flange I Ie. When the awning shutter is closed and the sections II and I2 hang verof the shutter.

tically, the flanges He and I2b engage each other so as to form a water-tight joint between the same. Also these flanges serve to prevent the lower section I2 from swinging outwardly beyond the plane of the section II. In the modification shown in Figure 6a, the adjacent edges of the sections II and I2 are bent rearwardly and pivotally connected by links I8 which engage a rod [80. extending through lugs I8b securedto the section II and a rod I8c extending through a bead formed on the section I2. In this form of construction the lower edge of the section II extends downwardly past the links I8 and overlies the upper part of the section I2 to form a tight joint therewith.

.Along its lower edge the lower section I2 is bent rearwardly into the form of a bead I20, and a rod or wire I2d extends through such bead. Adjacent each end this head is cut away at I2e to receive the end of a thrust arm 20, the rod I 2d passing through an opening in the end of each of said rods 20. By this means the thrust arms 20 are pivotally connected at their outer ends to the lower edge of the lower section I2 of the shutter. At their opposite or inner ends the arms 20 are pivotally connected at 20a to the window frame or side of the building.

The sections II and I2 at each end are provided respectively with rearwardly extending flanges III and I2 the inner edges of which flanges areadapted to rest against the window frame or other part of the building when the shutter is closed.

A coiled spring 2| is arranged at each side Each of said springs at its upper end is secured at 2| a to the inner side of the shutter and at its lower end to one of the thrust arms 20 adjacent the outer end of the latter. The springs 2| are under tension at all times so that when the shutter is free to swing outwardly, these springs will serve to swing the same into the position shown in Figure i. To swing the shutter inwardly and close the same, flexible cables or chains 22 are secured to the section II at 22a and extend into the building A in position to be grasped and drawn inwardly to close the shutter into the position shown in Figure 3.

Since the thrust arms 20 are pivoted to the lower edge of the lower section I2, it will be seen that when the shutter is swung outwardly by the springs 2| to the position shown in Figure 4, the lower section I2 will be automatically swung or folded up against or adjacent to the rear side of the valance section II. By thus folding up the lower section I2, the shutter when in open position offers little obstruction to vision from the window and permits ready access of light and air to the building.

As previously noted, I prefer to embody in my improved shutter a pivoted louver construction to further facilitate admission of light and air to the building. To that end the side members I3 of the upper section I0 are each provided with a flange I3c extending longitudinally thereof and outwardly therefrom. A series of louvers or slats 25 extend transversely of the section III between the flanges I3c of the side members I3. The ends of the louvers are bent rearwardly or inwardly to form flanges 25a and these flanges are pivotally connected as by rivets or pivot pins 26 to the flanges I3c. Each of the louvers along its upper edge is bent rearwardly and then outwardly to form a hook-shaped flange 25b, and along its front edge is bent outwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 25c to form a second hook-shaped flange. All the louvers are connected to move in unison by bars 21, one at each side of the shutter, said bars being pivotally connected to each louver by a pivot pin or rivet indicated at 28. The louvers are so mounted on the flanges I30 that when closed the bottom flanges 250 of each louver will engage over the top flange 25b of the adjacent louver. The top flange of the uppermost louver is arranged to engage beneath the lower out-turned edge Nb of the transverse member M as heretofore indicated, and the bottom flange of the lowermost louvers engages over the outwardly benit flange I511 of the transverse member l5. This interengagement between the flanges onthe louvers and their engagement with the upper and lower members of the section produces a tight and rainproof structure. Any rain passing inwardly between the flanges I30 of the shutter and th-eflanges a of the louvers will be caught and carried downwardly by the troughshaped flanges I31) of the side members Hi.

The louvers are designed to be opened and closed when desired. To open the same, one of the upper louvers has rigidly secured to the inner surface thereof on one side of its pivot a plate provided with a curved portion projecting rearwardly and downwardly. A coiled spring 3| is secured at one end to the plate 30 and this spring extends downwardly over said curved portion of the plate 30 and is secured at its other end to the side member l3. The spring 3| is under tension at all times and when free to act this spring will draw the inner ends of all the louvers downwardly due to their common connection with the bars 21, and thereby all the louvers will be opened. To simultaneously close the louvers, a bar 32 is securedto the outer surface of one of the louvers, preferably the one to which the plate 30 is connected and on the opposite side of the pivot thereof. This bar 32 extends outwardly and laterally and an operating chain or cable 33 is connected to the end thereof. This chain is passed through an opening in the side member I3 and also through an opening in the window frame or building to a convenientpoint from which it can be manipulated inside the building. It will be apparent that when the chain 33 is drawn inwardly or rearwardly, all' the louvers 25 will be closed against the tension of the spring 3| tending to open the same. be closed when the shutter is in the closed position of Figures 1 and 3, or the open position of Figure 4. Any suitable means, not shown,-

may be provided for securing the chain 33 after .the louvers are closed.

The louvers may, of course,

by pulling on the chain 33, the spring 3| engages the inwardly and downwardly curved porrtion of the plate 30. The curvature of this plate is such that during the closing of the louvers the lever arm through which the spring 3! acts is gradually shortened, that is, there is a gradual decrease in the distance between the pivot of the louver and the point where the spring contacts with the curved portion of the plate 30.

As a result, the pull on the chain 33 necessary section and movable into a position at the-rear of said valance section, a thrust arm pivotally connected at its inner end to the building and at its outer end to the lower edge of said lower section, a spring for moving the outer end of said arm upwardly to thereby swing the lower end of said upper section outwardly and swing said lower section into position at the rear of said valance section and means to limit the rearward swinging movement of said valance section beyond a substantially vertical position when said upper section is swung outwardly.

2. An awning shutter comprising an upper section pivoted to a building, a valance. section pivoted to the lower edge of said upper section, a lower section pivoted to the lower edge of the valance section and movable into a. position at the rear of said valance section, a thrust arm pivoted at one end to the building and at the other end to the lower edge of said lower section, a coiled spring secured at one end to said upper section adjacent the upper end thereof and at the other end to said arm, said arm and spring constituting means for automatically swinging the lower edge of said upper section outwardly and simultaneously swinging said lower section into position at the rear of said valance section and means to limit the rearward swinging movement of said valance section beyond a substantially vertical position when said upper section is swung outwardly.

3. A structure as defined in claim 1 having means for limiting outward swinging motion of said lower section relative to said valance section.

LLOYD M. JONES. 

